Everything To Know About TikTok's Viral "Scandi Hairline" Trend

When it comes to beauty trends, as of late, they’ve been moving in a much more sultry, “dark feminine” direction. Many are actually dying their hair darker shades for summertime (like Kourtney Kardashian replacing her blonde with a raven black hue, for one), and even when it comes to makeup, “cherry cola” lips and the “anti-beauty” aesthetic are both having their main character moment.

That being said, countless beauty aficionados still prefer to lighten up throughout the warm summer months, preferring dewy skin and minimal makeup in lieu of heavier formulas. And on the other end of the hair hue spectrum — a sunny “Scandi hairline” is gaining some serious traction on TikTok, currently sitting at nearly 14 million views on the #ScandiHairline hashtag (and counting). For more info on the growing trend, Bustle tapped pro colorist and R+Co Collective Member Richy Kandasamy, New York City-based colorist Reece Walker, and blonding expert Jessica Page. Read on for their expertise.

What Is The “Scandi Hairline” Trend?

For those who may not be aware, “Scandi” is actually short for Scandinavian — and across categories (like home decor, wellness practices, and beyond), the clean and minimal Scandinavian aesthetic is truly where function meets beauty.

The “Scandi hairline” is essentially meant to mimic how the baby hair along your hairline naturally lightens over the course of a summer under the sun. It’s created by coloring just one’s hairline within the areas from about ear to ear. Kandasamy further explains: “Scandi hairline is a soft, quick lightening technique focusing around the face. This allows for a consistent glow to your overall complexion, [making it] an amazing look for summer.”

If you’re down for the sun-kissed look, Kandasamy notes that it’s best to ask your stylist to lighten the baby hair around your face two to three levels. One of his pro tips: “To ensure you keep the lightener only on the baby hair, you can apply the lightener with a mascara wand for precise application.”

Admittedly, commenters note that the lightened hairline is virtually undetectable — and they’re not entirely wrong. The “Scandi hairline” is meant to be an incredibly soft and subtle change. “I typically do this technique on my girls that want that extra pop around the face,” Walker tells Bustle. “The girls that always want to be blonder but don’t want a [full scalp of bleach.]”

Noting that it’s great for those who wish to avoid “foil lines,” he adds: “You can make it super soft, which is how I like it, or you can take it back deeper in to the hairline.” Walker also cautions against taking the color too far back, as it can look more unnatural.

Page adds that the technique can also save you some time at the salon. “The tiny hairs around the face are very fragile, delicate, and take less time to process,” the salon owner advises. “When done properly, the Scandi technique eliminates any line of demarcation and over-processing in foils. It’s a great service to do at the bowl. Stylists are able to watch the processing time carefully, keeping the hair strong and healthy.”

Scandi Hairline Maintenance

One of the benefits of the technique is that it is relatively low-maintenance. “It depends on how fast your hair grows out,” says Page. “Because this technique should only lift a couple of levels, the grow out should still look good weeks after your salon service.”

“The maintenance will depend on how much contrast the Scandi blonde is from your natural hair color,” Kandasamy adds, stressing that it’s crucial to use a color safe shampoo, as well as toning and brightening products, between salon visits. He recommends the R+Co SUNSET BLVD Blonde Toning Masque.

The Trend Isn’t Just For Blondes

If you happen to have been served some Scandi-centric beauty content on your For You page, more often than not, those being featured have shades of blonde hair. “This technique will work best with clients with a natural medium to light blonde base, so there will be less contrast with the regrowth after,” Kandasamy says.

While Scandinavians are generally known to have lighter strands — think Elsa from Disney’s Frozen — you still might be able to make it work if your hair is a light brown hue. Just be prepared for more frequent touch-ups.

Whether you’re an espresso brunette, or even have been experimenting with shades of copper à la Megan Fox — the trend is all about lightening one’s hairline a shade or two to create that ethereal sunny vibe.